Nautilus Project

Draft Environmental Impact Statement

Appendix C

Design Criteria and Monitoring
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Appendix C –Design Criteria and Monitoring C-3

Nautilus Project Area Design Criteria

Forest Service Manual and Handbook direction, Regional Watershed Conservation Practices (WCPs, Forest 

Service Handbook 2509.25), Forest Plan standards and guidelines, South Dakota Best Management Practices and 

other management requirements apply to the proposed activities. Management requirements such as 

applicable Forest Plan standards are repeated here only if clarification is required. An ArcGIS shapefile 

containing design criteria information is located in the Nautilus planning record.

Applies To: Measure

All Activities Brush Disposal:

• Disposal of slash piles created through timber harvest or fuel treatments 

would be funded appropriately. Rehabilitation of pile sites would include 

site preparation and seeding to return the sites to productivity and 

control the spread of noxious weeds.

All Activities Heritage Resources:

• All culturally sensitive areas, Traditional Cultural Properties, graves, 

potential graves and sites eligible or considered unevaluated to the 

National Register of Historic Places should be avoided under proposed 

activities with a 100-foot buffer. Further mitigations if defined would be 

identified in the project file for each property and would be required for 

project implementation; any properties with mitigations not identified in 

this EIS would need Heritage review and SHPO concurrence before 

project implementation. Heritage site locations and specific mitigations 

are outlined in Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act 

compliance reports, on file at the Northern Hills Ranger District. Heritage 

site locations are not identified in this EIS to protect sensitive site 

information according to Section 304 of the National Historic 

Preservation Act (1966, as amended) and Section 9 of the Archaeological 

Resources Protection Act (1979).

• In the event that culturally sensitive areas, Traditional Cultural 

Properties, graves, potential graves and sites eligible or considered 

unevaluated to the National Register of Historic Places cannot be 

avoided, or new heritage resources are found during implementation of 

the project, all activity must stop and a member of the District Heritage 

Staff must be notified to determine an appropriate course of action. 

Appropriate consultation with the State Historic Preservation Office, 

Tribal Historic Preservation Offices, and other applicable parties would 

take place as directed by 36CFR800.

• Leaders of project activities described in this EIS will review the heritage 

report and geospatial data for areas to protect and consult with District 

Heritage Staff on specific mitigations. Project leaders should contact 

District Heritage Staff for additional assistance in marking the sites for 

protection on the ground.

All Activities Improvements:

• All Forest Service-authorized improvements, such as fences and water 

developments, would be shown as protected improvements on timber 

sale area maps and protected during management activities. 

• Protect all documented NFS land boundary corners, posts, and bearing 

trees.

• Avoid or protect utility infrastructure in the project area during project 

implementation.

• Avoid or protect improvements under special use permit.

• Protect all mining corner posts and active mining claim developments.
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All Activities Meadows:

• White spruce will not be removed from wet meadows unless they are 

considered a safety hazard.

• Surface disturbing activities (e.g., creation of skid trails, location of 

landings, construction of temporary roads, etc.) will be avoided as much 

as possible in meadows. If during implementation activities such as these 

cannot be located outside of meadows, the district hydrologist, botanist, 

and wildlife biologist will be contacted prior to implementation to 

determine if special requirements are warranted to protect site integrity.

All Activities Noxious Weeds:

• Contracts and permits issued as part of this project would include 

measures to limit spread of noxious weeds. Where proposed activities 

would occur in areas infested with noxious weeds and considered to be 

at high risk for spread, off-road equipment associated with the activity 

will be washed before leaving the site to prevent spread of weeds to 

adjacent NFS and private lands. Known areas meeting these criteria will 

be identified by District staff before commencement of any timber sale 

contract associated with this project. Known weed infestations will be 

displayed on the timber sale map.

• Where ground-disturbing activities occur in areas infested with weeds, 

weeds would be treated prior to project implementation, where feasible, 

to reduce future spread and establishment of noxious weeds.

• Review of the area for noxious weed infestations will continue during 

management activities. If new noxious weed infestations that could be 

spread by management activities are found during implementation, 

actions to minimize spread would be taken.

All Activities Public Safety:

• Appropriate signing or other cautionary measures would be implemented 

in conjunction with all management activities to ensure public safety. 

Implementation of these measures would be the responsibility of the 

person initiating the action (e.g., logging contractor, prescribed fire

manager).

All Activities Range:

• Managers of vegetation treatment projects would consult with District 

range managers to ensure alteration of natural barriers does not allow 

livestock to circumvent fences.

All Activities Region 2 Sensitive Plant Species:

• Refer to the botany design criteria shapefile for identified plant habitat 

and to the Biological Evaluation/Specialist Report for a verbal description 

of plant habitat.

• Any suitable habitat for sensitive plant species outside of treatment units 

would be avoided unless approved by a qualified botanist for entry.

• Any R2 Sensitive plant or animal species or plant or animal Species of 

Local Concern located after contract or permit issuance will be 

appropriately managed by active coordination between permittee, 

contractor or purchaser, Forest Service line officer, project administrator, 

and biologist and/or botanist. 

All Activities Recreation:

• Non-motorized trails would be shown as protected improvements on 

timber sale maps. Project administrators would ensure protection of 

trails during project implementation.

All Activities Revegetation:

• Disturbed soil would be revegetated in a manner that optimizes plant 
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establishment for that specific site. Revegetation may include topsoil 

replacement, planting, seeding, fertilization, liming, and placement of 

weed-free mulch as necessary. Revegetation would be initiated as soon 

as possible, generally not to exceed 6 months, after termination of 

ground-disturbing activities. All disturbed soils would be revegetated 

with native species when available, using seed mixtures free of noxious 

weeds. On areas needing the immediate establishment of vegetation, 

non-native, non-aggressive annuals, non-aggressive perennials, or sterile 

perennials may be used until native perennials become established. 

These species can be used to prevent the spread of noxious weeds and 

prevent erosion. Only weed-free mulch would be used.

All Activities Scenery:

• Activity slash would be reduced to natural levels within 300 feet of US 

Highway 385, Nemo Road, or Forest Highway 26 (Vanocker Canyon Road)

unless not visible due to changes in topography. Slash would be treated 

within 1 year of harvest completion.

All Activities Snags and Down Logs:

• Conifer snags over 20 inches dbh and those with cavities would be cut 

only for safety reasons. Conifer snags under 20 inches dbh would be cut 

only for safety reasons or when necessary for construction of roads, skid 

trails, firelines, and log landings. – Standard 2301a

• Retain all hardwood snags except for those that are considered a safety 

hazard.—Standard 2301b

• Retain at least 50 linear feet per acre of coarse woody debris with a 

minimum diameter of 10 inches in ponderosa pine stands and 100 linear 

feet per acre in white spruce stands to help retain moisture, trap soil 

movement, provide microsites for establishment of forbs, grasses, 

shrubs, and trees, and to provide habitat for wildlife.—Standard 2308a

• In vegetation treatment units, 1 pile of woody material per 2 acres would 

be left to create near-ground structure for small mammal species, except 

within 300 feet of buildings.—Standard 3117

• Any snag cut for safety reasons will be retained on site as coarse woody 

debris.

All Activities Soil and Water:

• Some proposed activities would take place on soils identified as having a 

potential for severe erosion. The following provisions, intended to 

minimize the amount of exposed bare soil, off-site transport, and soil 

displacement, are to be implemented: (1) on slopes over 30 percent, 

harvesting and skidding methods that minimize the amount of soil 

displaced into piles or windrows would be used in order to leave soil 

intact and in place; (2) prescribed burns on slopes over 30 percent would 

be conducted when soil, duff, and large fuels are sufficiently moist to 

retain duff as ground cover for prevention of erosion.

• Some proposed activities would take place on soils that are more 

susceptible to compaction. The following provisions, intended to reduce 

the risk of detrimental compaction would be implemented. 1) Heavy 

equipment would avoid streams and swales (low-lying or depressed and 

often wet stretches of land) except to cross at designated points, build 

crossings, or conduct restoration, unless protected by at least one foot of 

packed snow or two inches of frozen soil.

• To reduce potential for compaction and/or rutting, the following 

measure applies on all soil map units: Heavy equipment will be operated 

for land treatments only when soil moisture is below the plastic limit (Soil 
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moisture exceeds the plastic limit if the soil can be rolled into 3-mm 

threads without breaking or crumbling), the soil is protected by at least 

one foot of packed snow, or the top two inches of the soil are frozen 

(WCPH management measure 13/design criteria (b)).

All Activities Wildlife:

• Any newly discovered raptor nests, snail colonies, red-bellied snake 

hibernacula or bat roosts (i.e., snags/rock formations observed being 

used by bats, or newly discovered mines and caves) would be evaluated 

by a district wildlife biologist prior to implementation to determine if 

special requirements are warranted to protect site integrity. These 

resources would be protected in accordance with Forest Plan Standards.

• To minimize disturbance to nesting goshawks a timing restriction will 

apply from April 1 through August 15 within 1⁄2 mile of active nests by 

minimizing human-caused noise and disruption beyond that occurring at 

the time of nest initiation. The following activities would not occur during 

the timing restriction: fuel reduction activities, cutting, skidding, yarding, 

decking, hauling, road construction and other activities that may disturb 

nesting birds. Exceptions might be: hauling within 1⁄2 mile of active nest 

sites during the nesting season if it is reasonable to assume that 

goshawks in the area are habituated to this type of disturbance or 

surveys indicate that goshawks are not nesting in the area (consult with a 

district wildlife biologist to determine an appropriate course of action). 

Specific site locations and GIS shapefile are documented in the project 

file. – Standard 3111

• To minimize disturbance to nesting osprey a timing restriction will apply 

from April 1 through August 31 within 1⁄4 mile of active nests by 

minimizing human-caused noise and disruption beyond that occurring at 

the time of nest initiation. The following activities would not occur during 

the timing restriction: fuel reduction activities, cutting, skidding, yarding, 

decking, hauling, road construction and other activities that may disturb 

nesting birds. Exceptions might be: hauling within 1⁄4 mile of active nest 

sites during the nesting season if it is reasonable to assume that osprey in 

the area are habituated to this type of disturbance or surveys indicate 

that ospreys are not nesting in the area (consult with a district wildlife 

biologist to determine an appropriate course of action). Specific site 

location and GIS shapefile are documented in the project file. – Standard 

3204

• Tree marking will not occur from April 1 through August 15 within 1/8 

mile of active goshawk nests to assure that goshawks do not abandon 

nests. From April 1 through August 15, if crews are being aggressively 

watched or attacked by goshawks during marking activities they will 

immediately abandon all marking efforts within 1⁄2 mile of the active 

goshawk nest. 

• Avoid creating barriers (e.g., new open roads) between red-bellied snake 

hibernacula and riparian areas or wetlands. There are currently no known 

hibernacula in the planning area. This design criterion will apply to any 

newly discovered hibernacula.—Standard 3116

All Activities Travel Management:

• While any projects resulting from this analysis are taking place, all gates 

that would normally be closed will remain closed accept for 

administrative purposes. 

Timber Harvest Aspen:

• Where hardwood enhancement sites are adjacent to commercial 
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treatment units, clear cut all conifers within one tree length 

(approximately 75 feet) of aspen stand to maintain vegetative diversity 

within the stand. 

• Conserve all live hardwoods (Standard 2301b) with wildlife cavities and 

all snags (Standard 3124), except for those that are considered a safety 

hazard.

• Cut and “hinge” all conifers within hardwood enhancement units to 

remove encroaching ponderosa pine and spruce. “Hinging” conifers is 

intended to provide protection to aspen suckers and minimize impacts of 

browsing. Cutting shall be in the form of “hinging” the pine 

approximately 4 feet up from the ground. A solid hinge will keep the tree 

elevated, creating an aerial barrier to ungulates. A series of pine should 

be toppled over top of each other to form a “hedgerow” on the outside 

of the clone to prevent native ungulates and livestock from crossing into 

the clone. Conifer cut outside the clone could have the big tops and limbs 

dragged into or thrown into the protected aspen clone to increase on-site 

material barriers. Lop and scatter, or pile and burn, all conifers too small 

to “hinge”.

• Whenever possible, skid trails (or other surface disturbing activities) will 

be placed directly adjacent to aspen stands (but not birch stands) to 

promote expansion of aspen clones which are likely to benefit from 

openings and ground disturbance.

Timber Harvest Harvest:

• Existing pine regeneration would generally be protected in stands 

proposed for overstory removal harvest. Provisions related to felling, 

bucking, and whole tree yarding would be included in the timber sale 

contract. Log length yarding is the preferred method of timber removal. 

Skid trails within these stands would be approved by the sale 

administrator before commencement of logging. Landing locations 

would, where feasible, take advantage of existing openings or areas with 

no regeneration.

• To increase the likelihood of successful conifer regeneration, stands 

proposed for seed cuts would be logged in the summer or early fall

where feasible to maximize the site scarification provided by the skidding 

operation, provided there are no concerns related to riparian areas, 

noxious weeds, or sensitive plants. Cutting would be done in such a way 

that areas would be restocked with trees within five years after harvest.

• Where stand variation dictates an alternative treatment to the majority 

treatment, this variation shall be accommodated. For example, a quarter 

acre pocket of aspen within a commercial thin stand of ponderosa pine 

shall be cleared of conifers within and up to one tree length 

(approximately 75 feet) from the edge of the pocket in an effort to 

maintain vegetative diversity within stands.

Timber Harvest Road Restrictions:

• Timber sale units would be laid out to facilitate existing road restrictions 

(for example, trees around gates and other barriers would be left uncut 

to maintain obstructions and discourage driving around the gate or 

barrier).

Timber Harvest Scenery:

• Layout and marking of timber sale units would comply with Forest-wide 

marking guides in effect at the time of implementation.

• Where possible, treatments would be designed to reduce the chance of 

wind damage to residual trees. This may include retaining higher density 
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of mature trees on exposed ridges, lee slopes, and other areas prone to 

high winds and heavy snow accumulation.

• To reduce effects of continuously even tree spacing on wildlife and 

scenery, commercial thin treatments would emphasize tree health and 

crown size over spacing. Residual trees in overstory removal and seed cut 

units would be variably spaced.

• Skyline logging corridors would be as narrow as possible to minimize 

visual effects of any soil displacement.

• Where existing conditions allow, treatments in forested areas adjacent to 

other ownership would blend into adjacent tree density conditions rather 

than creating strong vegetation edges. A horizontal transition zone of 

two chains (132 feet) is suggested to achieve this transition in tree 

density.

• Within 300 feet of US Highway 385, Nemo Road, Forest Highway 26 

(Vanocker Canyon Road ) and the Centennial Trail the following design 

criteria will be in place:

1. Skid trails will be utilized during dry or frozen conditions to 

minimize soil disturbance, and will be re-seeded with native 

grasses. These techniques have been effectively used to reduce 

soil displacement and speed up the re-vegetation process along 

these skid trails, reducing highly visual evidence of skid trails.

2. Where possible along these routes, remaining vegetation should 

be in a variety of sizes and spacing to maintain a more natural 

appearance. This technique has been very effective in 

maintaining a natural appearance. Locations where it was not 

used resulted in a ‘tree-farm’ appearance (all trees same height 

and evenly spaced across the landscape). 

3. Rehabilitate log decks within 300 feet of travel corridors by 

returning to original contours, scarifying to eliminate compaction 

(as necessary), and planting with native grass seed. 

4. Slash will be cleaned up to natural levels within 300 feet of these 

travel corridors. This can be accomplished by slash clean up (e.g. 

scattering and underburning, piling and burning, or chipping) after 

logging.

5. Slash, once placed on the ground, needs to be treated in 

accordance with Forest Plan guidelines 4112 and 5606.

Timber Harvest Range:

• All pasture gates would be identified on Timber Sale Area maps and kept 

closed during the grazing season (June through October). Maintained 

fences would be protected during logging operations.

• If log hauling or movement of heavy equipment related to the proposed 

timber harvest causes damage to cattleguards, the timber purchaser 

would be responsible for repair.

Timber Harvest Region 2 Sensitive Plant Species and SOLC: 

• Occurrences of Region 2 Sensitive Plants and Plant Species of Local 

Concern would be avoided during all proposed timber harvest activities. 

Known areas are identified in the design criteria shapefile.

• Suitable plant habitat would be excluded from mechanical treatment 

areas. Known plant habitat is identified in the design criteria shapefile. 

• Any skid trails, temporary roads, landings, or other disturbances 

associated with logging activities in plant habitat would be designated in 
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consultation with a qualified botanist. These areas are included in the 

design criteria shapefile.

• Any plant habitat outside of treatment units would be avoided unless 

approved by a qualified botanist for entry. These areas are included in 

the design criteria shapefile.

Timber Harvest Recreation:

• Snowmobile trails would be shown as improvements on timber sale area 

maps and protected during harvest operations. An evaluation of the 

potential for conflicts between logging and trail use would take place at 

the time of timber sale appraisal and contract preparation. If conflicts 

appear likely between use of the snowmobile trails and specific logging 

units or haul routes, logging would be restricted between December 1 

and March 31 unless a logical and desirable alternative snowmobile route 

is identified. Only those units and/or roads in conflict would be restricted 

so that logging operations could proceed in the remainder of the sale 

area.

• Winter operations of timber sale units that necessitate skidding across a 

snowmobile trail but do not otherwise affect the trail may be allowed. 

Determination would be made on a case-by-case basis, with crossings 

permitted only at locations approved by the sale administrator and with 

proper cautionary signing installed by the timber contractor.

Timber Harvest Soil and Water:

• In stands where Lakoa, Rockoa or Citadel soils are present and slopes 

exceed 30%, ensure that an overstory density of at least 80 BA remains 

following timber harvest, unless more site specific Design Criteria is 

established. If there is an urgent need (example: bark beetle mortality; 

unable to create lower fuel loading mosaic around the site) to reduce BA 

below this level, consult the district hydrologist for field verification of 

the site to determine further potential of slope stability impairment 

associated with additional levels of BA reduction.

• In stands where slopes exceed 55%, ensure that a tree overstory 

component with a basal area density of at least 80 BA remains following 

timber harvest and post sale activities. If there is a need to reduce BA 

below this level, consult the district hydrologist for field verification of 

the site to determine further potential of slope stability impairment 

associated with additional levels of BA reduction.

• Skid trails: Place slash in a well-distributed pattern across the skid trail 

surface and install waterbars, where necessary.following harvest 

activities.

• When logging in previously disturbed stands, use existing skid trails and 

landings whenever possible.

Timber Harvest Wildlife:

• No treatments will be conducted within 500 feet of adit portal or shaft 

openings of mines or caves to maintain microclimate of bat hibernacula 

or nurseries, unless it is determined through bat surveys that the site is 

not bat roost habitat. Bat surveyors and bat survey protocols must be 

pre-approved by the district wildlife biologist and surveys must be 

conducted prior to implementation. The 500 foot no treatment zone may 

be reduced dependent upon survey results and topography and will be 

determined by a district Wildlife Biologist. Known mine site locations are 

documented in the project file.—Standard 3207

• Known snail sites with R2 Sensitive Species or Species of Local Concern 

will be avoided (i.e., no vegetation treatments, no heavy equipment use, 
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and no skid trails, landings, temporary roads or any other activity that 

may compact soils or alter ground cover, moisture regimes or litter 

composition). Known site locations are documented in the project file.--

Standard 3103

• Disturbance of newly discovered colonies of land snails would be avoided 

until it is evaluated by a district wildlife biologist in order to determine if 

R2 Sensitive Species or Species of Local Concern are present. The district 

wildlife biologist would determine appropriate buffer areas (no 

treatment zones) around newly discovered colonies based on site-specific 

conditions. Avoidance zones or mitigation measures would be 

determined on a case-by-case basis.

Timber Harvest Spruce Habitat:

• Commercial and non-commercial treatments of ponderosa pine in spruce 

dominated stands will not occur except within 200 feet of buildings or 

where spruce is encroaching into hardwoods so long as other identified 

design criteria does not apply in these areas.

Prescribed Fire Burn Plan:

• Prescribed burning would be implemented only under conditions defined 

in a prescribed burn plan.

• In stands that have been designated as part of the suitable timber base, 

at least 90 percent of the trees greater than 9 inches in diameter will be 

retained. In other stands, at least 50 percent of the trees greater than 9 

inches diameter will be retained.

• The District Silviculturist will assist with the preparation of or review the 

final prescribed burn plan.

Prescribed Fire Improvements:

• Measures will be taken to protect utility lines and any other 

improvements within the burn unit during prescribed burns.

Prescribed Fire Region 2 Sensitive Plant Species:

• Where possible, direct ignition would not occur in habitat suitable for 

supporting sensitive plants. These areas are included in the design 

criteria shapefile.

• Control lines that disturb soil, i.e. hand lines or dozer lines, would not be 

located in plant habitat, unless needed to ensure safety. These areas are 

included in the design criteria shapefile.

Prescribed Fire Soil and Water:

• Prescribed burns in some sites would take place all or partly on soils with 

severe erosion hazard. These burns would take place only when burn 

severity could be kept low.

• Small wetlands located in or immediately adjacent to any burn units 

would be excluded from areas to be burned and protected from 

disturbance.

Prescribed Fire Scenery:

• Where possible, prescribed burns adjacent to US Highway 385, Nemo 

Road, and Forest Highway 26 (Vanocker Canyon Road) would be burned 

so that overstory trees visible from the road show as little scorch as 

possible.

Prescribed Fire Wildlife: 

• In any given year, conduct prescribed burns on no more than 60% of a 

contiguous meadow (that is >20 acres in size) to minimize impacts of 

prescribed fire on butterflies and ground nesting birds. Timing restriction 

would apply to meadows from May 15 to August 15, to minimize impacts 
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to ground nesting birds. Fall burns are preferred.—Standard 3125 

• Prescribed burns within 1⁄2 mile of historic goshawk nests would be 

coordinated with district wildlife biologist. Timing restriction would apply 

from April 1 through August 15 if the nests are active.

• All documented land snail colonies with R2 Sensitive Species or Species of 

Local Concern that are in prescribed burn units would be protected by 

burning when snails are hibernating (i.e., when average daytime 

temperatures are <50 degree Fahrenheit) or else these colonies will be 

avoided. Specific site locations are documented in the project file.—

Standard 3103

• No fire lines or direct ignition of fire will occur on known snail colonies 

any time of the year. Specific site locations are documented in the 

project file.

• During prescribed burning, protect existing guzzlers. Use whatever 

technique the burn boss deems appropriate (e.g., foam, black lining, 

wrapping, etc.), based on site conditions. 

• If Atlantis fritillary or regal fritillary butterflies occur in meadows that are 

within burn units, redesign the project to conserve important habitat 

components of known sightings (survey for butterflies as appropriate). 

No known occurrences of either species exist in proposed burn blocks. 

Check with the district biologist prior to burning to determine if new 

information indicates their presence.—Standard 3105 

• Prescribed burning in areas with caves or mines would be coordinated 

with a district wildlife biologist. Impacts to bat hibernacula would be 

avoided with the use of timing restrictions and/or establishing buffer 

zones. Specific mitigations will be determined by a district Wildlife 

Biologist and Fuels Specialist during burn plan development. Specific site 

locations are documented in the project file. This design criterion will also 

apply to any newly discovered hibernacula.—Standard 3102

Prescribed Fire Range:

• To avoid conflicts with grazing and to ensure that prescribed fire

mitigation is implemented, prescribed fire projects will be coordinated in 

advance with the range management specialist.

Prescribed Fire Recreation:

• Personnel from the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks 

will be notified prior to the initiation of prescribed burns if the burn unit 

includes or is adjacent to a designated snowmobile trail so that trail 

markers may be removed or protected.

• Generally, slash piles will be located away from designated snowmobile 

or cross-country ski trails where possible. Where that is not possible and 

piles are located immediately adjacent to trails, piles will either not be 

burned between December 1 and March 31 to prevent melting of the 

snow on the trail, or specific mitigation will be instituted to prevent snow 

melt on the trail.

Prescribed Fire Heritage:

• In the event that sites are within a prescribed burn boundary, both 

prehistoric and historic sites would be avoided by both hand line and 

dozer lines. Sites with consumables such as wood would either be 

wrapped with structure protection material, or have either a wet line or 

hand line placed around the resource.

Transportation 

System

Dust Control:

• Dust control, if necessary, may be done with water, magnesium chloride, 

calcium chloride, or equivalent.
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Transportation 

System

Noxious Weeds:

• District staff responsible for the noxious weed program would, in 

coordination with the project engineer, inspect gravel pits for noxious 

weed infestation before transport and use of gravel and other material. 

Infestations would be treated to prevent spread.

• District staff responsible for the noxious weed program would inspect 

stockpiled gravel annually for weed infestation in coordination with the 

project engineer.

Transportation 

System

Revegetation:

• Timber sale roads would be seeded after construction but before timber 

harvest if any part of the gap between construction and harvest would 

occur between April and October. This may be accomplished under the 

road contract. If necessary, seeding would again occur after use of the 

road is complete. Seeding may be delayed until after completion of 

harvest if the gap between construction and harvest would be of short 

duration and hydrology, soils, engineering, and noxious weed specialists 

determine after field review that a delay would be acceptable.

Transportation 

System

Soil and Water:

• New road construction is to be designed to limit cut and fill slopes where 

possible, particularly when located above steep slopes.

• Construction of landings, roads, and tractor and skid trails would be 

avoided within 100 feet (or a distance equal to the mean height of 

mature dominant late seral vegetation, whichever is more) of perennial 

seeps, springs, and wetlands. If this is not possible, crossings would be 

constructed and restored to prevent headcutting, gullying, erosion, and 

sediment transport to ephemeral or perennial channels.

• Creation of large water collection points, such as road ditches or 

excessively large water bars, would be avoided, particularly up-gradient 

of existing rotational site features, such as slumps and landslides. A 

greater frequency of water bars than that identified as the maximum 

spacing recommended in FSH 2509.25 for the Rocky Mountain Region is 

to be used (See Forest Monitoring, SD BMP Audits and Black Hills NF 

Forest Supervisor letter dated July 1, 2009 identifying a need for greater 

attention to road drainage). FSH 2509.25 direction disclosed that the 

listed spacings were maximum spacings and should be reduced if 

warranted by onsite factors, such as amount of road use, downslope 

stability, erosion, etc. Foresty Best Management Practices for South 

Dakota (2003) identifies suggested drainage feature spacings (page 12) 

that have narrower spacings between drainage features as compared to 

FSH 2509.25. The 2009 Field Audit Report - Implementation Monitoring 

of SD Forestry Best Management Practices further support the greater 

need for more frequent spacing of water bars. The audit identified some 

areas with insufficient numbers of water bars on native surface roads. 

Temporary road cuts exceeding two feet would be avoided. If this is 

infeasible because of steep slopes, temporary roads would be recontoured.

• Where feasible, existing haul roads would be reconstructed with rolling 

grades instead of ditches and culverts.

• Water bars and sediment barriers would be placed 10 to 20 feet below 

water bar outlets and culvert outlets on skid trails steeper than 15 

percent.

• Engineering staff would consult with a forest hydrologist and fisheries 

biologist on design of stream crossings. Fill slopes would be protected 
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with riprap, gabions, prompt seeding, or other measures approved by the 

hydrologist, fisheries biologist, or soil scientist. 

• Placement of structures would comply with federal and state laws 

regarding construction in and near waterways, including placement of fill 

and measures to control sedimentation.

Transportation 

System

Travel Management:

• In general, all newly constructed roads would be closed following 

construction until needed for timber sale or related activities and closed 

again after use. The exception to this would be newly constructed roads 

that are designated open for motorized travel under the Forest-wide 

Travel Management project (in progress). Roads needed for timber sale 

or related activities but normally closed to motorized vehicles would also 

be closed when not in use. 

• All newly constructed roads that are to be closed following use will be 

closed with appropriate methods, which may include: locked gates, dirt 

berms, boulders, downed trees, fences, or re-contouring. 

• Where new roads are constructed through existing range allotment 

fences to access timber sale units, temporary cattle guards will be 

installed at the crossing point. Immediately following completion of the 

timber sale and all related activities, the cattle guard would be removed 

and the fence returned to its original condition. Cattle guards would not 

be replaced with any form of gate.

• Retain access routes as needed for utility line construction, 

reconstruction, and maintenance of existing right-of-way corridors.

• Avoid or protect utility infrastructure during construction and 

decommissioning of roads.

Transportation 

System

Region 2 Sensitive Plant Species:

• A botanist will work with the road engineer to determine the best 

placement of the proposed new road construction that will potentially 

cross plant habitat. These areas are included in the design criteria 

shapefile.

Transportation 

System

Wildlife:

• Maintenance of existing roads in areas that pass through known snail 

colonies will be limited to the clearing limits (i.e., roads may be 

maintained to standard). If needed improvements or realignment of 

those areas go beyond the existing clearing limits, review and input by 

the district wildlife biologist would be required to ensure that snail 

colonies would not be impacted.—Standard 3103

• Avoid constructing new roads through snail colonies. Where data 

suggests an overlap between new roads and known snail colonies, a 

wildlife biologist and the engineer will together determine if there are 

any feasible alternate road locations.—Standard 3103

• The presence of snails in any area not previously identified will be 

brought to the attention of the district wildlife biologist before 

maintenance or construction continues.

Transportation 

System

Heritage:

• Sites that currently have a native surface road running through them will 

have site specific mitigations detailed in the Heritage Specialist Report 

following a review by District Heritage Staff to determine if further 

consultation by the South Dakota State Historic Preservation Office, and 

appropriate Tribal Historic Preservation Offices, and other applicable 

parties is necessary as directed by Section 106 of the National Historic 

Preservation Act 1966 (as amended).
Nautilus Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement

Appendix C –Design Criteria and Monitoring C-14

Monitoring for All Action Alternatives

The Northern Hills Ranger District would monitor implementation of the selected alternative. 

The timber sale administrator or other contract administrators would complete some of the project 

implementation monitoring. Other resource specialists would be involved in monitoring of specific mitigation

measures relating to their particular resource area. Specific monitoring requirements are listed below.

 Prescribed fire managers would establish photo points in prescribed burn units to compare pre- and posttreatment conditions and document fire behavior during implementation.

 Fuels staff would evaluate effectiveness of fuel treatments in reducing fuel loading.

 Fire managers would evaluate burned areas to establish a timeline for maintenance burning. 

 Project managers would monitor revegetation of disturbed and burned areas to determine need for 

additional measures and noxious weed control.

 Engineering and hydrology/soils specialists would monitor effectiveness of erosion control measures 

(seeding, water bars, etc.) one and three years following installation. 

 Hydrology/soils staff would monitor soil compaction at a sample of timber sale landings and harvest units.

 Timber sale administrators and hydrology/soils specialists would monitor application and effectiveness of 

Best Management Practices.

 The district planning team would monitor timber sale layout to evaluate project implementation and 

assumptions used in the planning process. The district planning team would monitor timber sale 

implementation following sale closure.